Channel 5 has replaced fellow commercial broadcaster ITV as a rights partner of the World Rally Championship in the UK, while pay-television broadcaster BT Sport and Welsh public-service television channel S4C have extended their deals with the motor racing series.
The agreements cover the 2016 season of the WRC, with Channel 5 broadcasting highlights of every round. Free-to-air digital channel ITV4 previously broadcast highlights.
Free-to-air WRC programming on Channel 5 will be supplemented by renewed deals with BT Sport and S4C. As the WRC’s pay-television partner in the UK, BT Sport will cover all the action from every event including the magazine show, daily and event highlights and live action from all 14 rounds. The well-established Ralio+ show on S4C will be following the WRC for Welsh-language audiences.
In addition, Channel 5 sister channel Spike will broadcast the World Rally Magazine programme on the Saturday preceding every WRC round.
Oliver Ciesla, managing director of WRC commercial rights-holder WRC Promoter, said: “Our agreement will guarantee the most comprehensive free-to-air coverage of the WRC in Britain for many years.”
In other news, WRC Promoter has signed an agreement with DJI for the aerial imagery company to provide footage for the World Rally Championship. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but from the start of the 2016 season at Rallye Monte-Carlo on January 21-24, DJI’s drone pilots will work with WRC TV to generate action footage from all 14 rounds.
Ciesla added: “The pictures from DJI’s drones will provide a new viewing experience, enabling fans to watch the action from a different perspective and make WRC programmes even more spectacular.”
Fans attending WRC rounds will also have the chance to experience drone technology for themselves at DJI’s booth in the rally service parks.